Frenzal Rhomb ProfileYou could dismiss Lytta for the lack of crowd reaction and a few musical errors, but the fledgling three-piece create a storm of post-hardcore breakdowns and explosive death metal vocal bursts, launching an aural assault on the room while bridging changes through a grimy sludge of dropped tuning and rib-rattling bass with I Am Omega. They finish up turning many heads for an original and explosive opening to the night.
Leeches never fail to please live and instantly transform the night, and pounding through one-minute skater punk tracks with What?, Junkie and Take Back, are the perfect crowd warmer. Vocalist and self-proclaimed ‘Ginger Activist’ Ben Ward delivers fiercely for the rapid riff of Cracked And Broken despite being the worse for wear from the previous night’s gig.
The room already has a fiery atmosphere before Frenzal Rhomb even strike a note. Guitarist Lindsay McDougall, donning a freshly-purchased Bunbury op shop dress leads into Russell Crowe’s Band for the mayhem to begin. Frenzal have lost nothing over the last 20-odd years of shows; they banter about everything from local politics to Mumford & Sons, their ridiculously strong catalogue of tracks on full show as they charge through Mum Changed The Locks, Bucket Bong and White World, proving their shows are anything but predictable. While many horrible attempts at stage dives are taken by crowd members, drummer Gordy Forman takes to the front of the stage to give instructions on stage-diving 101, then proceeds to dive, get thrown back from the crowd and lands between the barrier and fold back, snapping his arm. The show pauses briefly while Forman is rushed off the stage, before vocalist Jay Whalley steps onto bass while Tom Crease takes the kit. The show miraculously ploughs on through Bird Attack and I Miss My Lung among others. While a Frenzal Rhomb three-piece mode is strange, the band then decide to open the stage up to anybody who can play rhythm to one of their songs. Thanks to ‘Steve’, ‘Johnno’, ‘Sam’ and local punk Pat Decline of The Declines, the crowd are treated to a somewhat complete set and an amazingly crazy but enjoyable night.
